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Front Page: Balloon Boy Drama Appears to Have Been a Hoax

TresSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:56 -0700

Yesterday's Balloon Boy situation might have been a hoax. The boy, Falcon Heene, told CNN last night that "we did this for a show." - AP
Afghanistan will likely have a runoff presidential election after allegations of fraud threw the validity of the first election into question. - Wall Street Journal
The swine flu vaccine is reviving the debate about vaccines in general. - New York Times
Ex-governor Rod Blagojevich will face Donald Trump on the next season of Celebrity Apprentice. - CNN
Where the Wild Things Are opens in theaters today. - BuzzSugar

Condé Nast Is Truly, Madly, Online Dating

TresSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Condé Nast started the week out on a sober note, announcing the closure of venerable publications like Gourmet. Now, the publishing giant is ending the week with a bit of sexy news: it has just launched an online dating site called Truly Madly Dating.

According to UK Vogue, the site is "created to unite glamorous girls with fashion-conscious GQ-reading boys to create matches made in style heaven." Doing a little browsing myself, I've come across a photographer seeking a muse, a woman in Russia who loves to travel, and a down-to-earth investment banker looking for a woman who is fun to be around.

Since ad revenue is declining quickly for the company, a dating site might be a business model made in style heaven - if it takes off, of course. Would you use it, or do you think it might attract singles that aren't quite your type?

Should the Media Stay Away From Michelle Obama's Heritage?

TresSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Yesterday, the New York Times ran a piece on Michelle Obama's connection to slavery. Using old public records, fading photos, and recollections of older family members, the New York Times, along with genealogist Megan Smolenyak, uncovered details that fully connect the first lady to the history of slavery for the first time. While the piece was captivating, some worry that it was not appropriate.

The issue of race in America's past and present is undoubtedly a sensitive subject. Many Americans, including African-Americans, want to celebrate the Obamas' path to the White House, and the story about Michelle Obama's slave roots helps shed light on just how far our society has come. In addition, the fact that Michelle's great-great-great-grandfather was white might remind this diverse country that we share a common past. Yet other people feel that the independent piece on her heritage violates her privacy or focuses on her race when the Obamas have made it clear that they want to move past it.

The first lady has declined to comment on the article due to its personal nature. Now that Michelle Obama is first lady, is it fair for the public to take an interest in her genealogy, or was this piece in bad taste?

More Details on Gourmet's Collapse

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:30:32 -0700

Yesterday morning began with breaking news that, after 68 years of publication, Gourmet was going out of print, and now we have more details on the magazine's collapse. Although the glossy will cease to exist, the Gourmet brand will live on through book publishing and TV programs. Staffers at the magazine were first unaware, then teary-eyed and harried, as they were allegedly given 48 hours to leave.

According to publisher Condé Nast, which staunchly defended its position, star editor Ruth Reichl will likely part ways with the publishing house, although this has not been confirmed. She, too, admitted her surprise, tweeting, "Thank you all so much for this outpouring of support. We're all stunned, sad . . . Hard to believe it's over."

Hard to believe indeed. From food personalities to subscribers, everyone has shown an overwhelming amount of regret. I'll miss the pages of exquisite photography and timeless travel pieces, and Party doesn't know how she'll live without the recipes. What will you miss about Gourmet?

Gourmet Magazine to Fold

YumSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:43:25 -0700

This morning, Condé Nast announced its oldest food title, Gourmet magazine, is folding. There were telltale signs of trouble: the glossy, which will print its last issue in November, just underwent budget cuts. As early as the onset of 2009, rumors were already flying that Gourmet would not see the end of the year.

The speculation didn't prepare me for the shellshock of Gourmet's demise. After all, the magazine, which has been published since December 1940, is an institution. I would have thought they could cut issues to six a year, or even quarterly, before shutting down such a venerable publication. It's wishful thinking, but a part of me hopes this is just some sort of sick publicity stunt. Are you as stunned as I am?

Dick Morris: Clinton's Deed Comes at Too High a Cost

TresSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:30:57 -0700

Now that Bill Clinton has helped bring journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling home safely from North Korea, prominent politicos are speaking out against the way the release was handled. Appearing on Fox News today, former Clinton adviser Dick Morris argued that negotiating with North Korea gives the rogue state "an opportunity to rehabilitate its image globally simply to get two reporters out of jail."

Former UN ambassador John Bolton makes a similar argument that the trip is a "propaganda victory for North Korea," claiming that involving dignitaries like Clinton could create more danger to Americans in the future.

So what should we do with the journalists, just leave them there? Pretty much, says Morris: "What were they doing in North Korea in the first place?" Well, here's what I think.

Radio Show Halted After Having Girl Admit Her Rape On-Air

TresSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:30:57 -0700

The Australian media is taking an irresponsible and extremely unsettling "joke" about rape seriously. The country's highest-rated morning show - "The Kyle and Jackie O Show" - has been canceled for now, after it had a 14-year-old girl submit to an on-air lie detector test during which she admitted to being raped. The host, Kyle Sandilands, has also been fired from his job as a judge on Australian Idol.

In the troubling segment, a 14-year-old girl was asked by her mother during a polygraph test whether she was sexually active. She answered that she had been raped, which her mother already knew. The host Kyle Sandilands then said: "Right, and is that the only sexual experience you've had."

Sandilands' co-host Jackie O then put a stop to the questioning because it had "crossed the line." She's not the only person who thinks so. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has even weighed in, saying that he is "distressed" by the incident.

The show will be off the air pending a review. Do you think it should be canceled for good?

It's Not Safe For Sportscaster to Undress in Her Hotel Room

TresSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:00:00 -0700

The media is outraged (!) that someone secretly taped ESPN's Erin Andrews, aka America's Sexiest Sportscaster, while she was undressing in her hotel room. News outlets were so upset yesterday that they continued to air portions or publish stills from the video that show Erin nude. Sigh.

Erin's attorney released a statement that said:

While alone in the privacy of her hotel room, Erin Andrews was surreptitiously videotaped without her knowledge or consent. She was the victim of a crime and is taking action to protect herself and help ensure that others are not similarly violated in the future.

The re-airing of the crime is perhaps worse than what originally happened to Erin, and the attorneys have also signaled that any reposting of the images could make parties accessories to the crime. As a woman who could imagine this happening to me, I felt violated just reading about this story. I can't even imagine how Erin Andrews must feel.

Newspaper Revitalization Act: Tax Breaks, No Endorsements

CitizenSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:01:11 -0700

The Newspaper Revitalization Act would classify newspapers as nonprofits with educational purposes. That sounds about right - papers seem incapable of being profitable, but they do report a bunch of educational information. The bill could be what papers need to survive.

If the act passes, the nonprofit status would tax exempt advertising and subscription revenue. Participating newspapers would still report any type of news, but they couldn't run political endorsements.

So far the bill's sponsor, Senator Benjamin Cardin, hasn't found any cosponsors. Would you like to see your representative get on board?

Source

Would You Pay to Read the New York Times Online?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:30:00 -0800

The New York Times executive editor Bill Keller is answering readers' questions online, but one day we might have to pay to read those answers.

When asked if the paper would accept donations to support such a valuable service that is currently free online, Keller brought up subscriptions. He said:

Really good information, often extracted from reluctant sources, truth-tested, organized, and explained - that stuff wants to be paid for. So far, it gets paid for mainly by advertisers, but a lively, deadly serious discussion continues within the Times about ways to get consumers to pay for what we make.

He went on to describe possible ways to get money from web users, including: putting the entire site behind a wall only accessible to subscribers; making people pay as they go a la iTunes; or promoting versions for reading devices like Kindle that cost money to download.